James Gair, and W. Karunatillake

The Sidat Sangara

Text, Translation, and Glossary

James Gair, and W. Karunatillake

The Sidat Saňgarā, (also Sidat Saňgarāva or Sidat Saňgarāwa) “Compilation of Principles,” is a medieval Sinhala (Sinhalese) grammar composed in the thirteenth century on the Sinhala poetic language of that period. It can rightly claim to be the earliest indigenous grammar of any current Indo-Aryan language, and it has been widely considered in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) to be the repository of the “true” language. Part of a rich Sinhala literary tradition, it also includes chapters on poetics, with examples drawn from earlier works, some lost. The influence of the work still lives, despite the arising of new genres. It is thus a cultural landmark in the history of Sri Lanka while linking with the rich literary and grammatical tradition of India and South Asia.

Description

The Sidat Saňgarā, (also Sidat Saňgarāva or Sidat Saňgarāwa) “Compilation of Principles,” is a medieval Sinhala (Sinhalese) grammar composed in the thirteenth century on the Sinhala poetic language of that period. It can rightly claim to be the earliest indigenous grammar of any current Indo-Aryan language, and it has been widely considered in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) to be the repository of the “true” language. Part of a rich Sinhala literary tradition, it also includes chapters on poetics, with examples drawn from earlier works, some lost. The influence of the work still lives, despite the arising of new genres. It is thus a cultural landmark in the history of Sri Lanka while linking with the rich literary and grammatical tradition of India and South Asia.

The present collaborative volume is a completely new translation of the work along with a general introduction, the text of the sūtras in both Sinhala and Roman transliteration, a glossary for each sūtra, and notes on a number of problematic points. The edition includes a complete glossary, with Sanskrit and Pali etymologies for the Sinhala technical terms and many other forms.

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